Rise of the Phoenix
Rise of the Phoenix The Invitation To Meet It didn't take long for the necessary preparations to be made. After repairing what they could with available resources, Victor contacted the station that had a full complement of security forces awaiting their delayed arrival. Hearing the report, a wave of relief was heard followed by a promise to return the other half of the train to the abandoned segment, ensuring their superior that they'll have it fixed and returned back on track within 48 hours. When this was all confirmed, the Skyhawk took off to the heavens and rocketed towards the Phoenix Guild's current HQ. The Alexander Estate. With Christina co-piloting with Victoria, Diana stood by Victor's left flank while Morgan was to remain closely to his right. Having stepped up the crimson carpeted stairway, the extendable landing port would collapse and retract into a hidden depository below their feet, hiding its existence with a mere metal plate. In the heart of the ship as they stood within was a round table, welded metal that created a basin interior with a glowing disc outer rim. Towards the aft appeared to be a narrow hall that had two restroom doors flanking either one to the sealed-off engine room. The starboard and port sections had similar halls leading to a storage room, a kitchen, and a multi-purpose observatory room. Both flanks of the ship's interior had small bubble plated pods, almost in the shape of eggs, with rails that allowed them to go beyond the ceiling's retractable doors. All-in-all, it was a spectacular transport, leagues ahead of what Airships were centuries in the past. Placing his ring into a small slot on the disc table's outer ring, Victor spoke aloud in an authoritative manner, "Nest. Connect me to current Phoenix Guild Mages." "Understood, Victor," A soothing voice echoed from the comp, seeming to radiate its sound across the hull all around them. Leaning forward, Diana felt obliged to inform the young Dragon Slayer of what had just transpired, "Nest, our nickname for the NST network that connects us to all of Victor's clients, is an AI that monitors all of our Thought Projection Ring wearers. The more who wear them, the wider our connection and list of contacts exist." With a bell sounding chime, Nest ''returned to Victor with news, "'I've located and contacted all Phoenix Guild Mages. They're currently available and ready to take a call. Will you like this to be a conference call?" "Please do," Victor said with a smile, retracting his ring placement on the table to allow the call to occur. One after another, bodies of Mages materialized like static into the Lounge room. Within the epicenter of the hollow ringed table, two figures would appear. It took only a few seconds for their forms to appear as if they were really standing in front of the Virago Spirit and Dragon Slayer, their mental projections depicting them in a way that mirrored their currently worn attire and disposition at the designated spot they were sending their mental call. "Good to see you two," The Phoenix Guild Master said with a pleased tone, waving his right hand in a curious emphasized swing, "how are the two of you faring?" "Well enough." A man with spiky black hair spoke, although his attire would say something entirely different; all he was wearing was a pair of black track pants and a white tank top, completely out of the ordinary for "Kenneth of the Unbroken Promise" as he was known as. "I apologize for my less than appealing attire. I've recently returned from a battle with a rather tedious beast. My clothing is currently ripped to shreds; I'm going to have to go shopping. That being said...why exactly are we talking right now?" Kenneth questioned, before realizing he interrupted a stammering, younger individual. "Oh, I apologize for the wait. Please, feel free to speak." As Kenneth addressed him, the young man with glasses and brown hair breathed out slightly. "Oh, it wasn't you, Mr. Kenneth. I was simply in the middle of conducting an experiment and I really didn't want the flask here to break!" The young man laughed, "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Thornton Bartram to those who don't know me. I'm a simple botanist with magical powers around these parts. But, I would like to repeat the question Mr. Kenneth had asked. What is our purpose for being here, Mr. Alexander?" Morgan was surprised when, despite the airship taking flight, her motion sickness didn’t flare up like she feared. Passing it off as the fact she couldn’t feel the vibrations of the engine, she decided that she could at least enjoy the trip without getting ill. The thought of getting to travel without getting sick brought a smile to her face, she could finally relax. Part of her wanted to explore the ship, since not knowing her surroundings well enough had, at various other times, almost cost her dearly, a series of mistakes she wasn’t too keen on repeating. Although she was so used to searching new places before anything else, she rationalized that she could have the time to do so later on, so it wasn’t drastically important to her to get the layout right away. When Victor started up the Nest program, she was slightly confused and was about to ask what it was about when Diana beat her to it by explaining preemptively, something the young Dragon Slayer was thankful for. She assumed the same system was in effect when the holographic forms of two men appeared in front of her. From what she knew about wide-scale communication magic, it was usually done with telepathy, so seeing other people that were communing over large distances while still appearing in a somewhat physical, if untouchable, state impressed her. Smiling expectantly of such queries, Victor raised his hands up in a beckoning manner as he declared openly, "I am going to have the first meeting of the Phoenix Guild at my estate. I wish for our current roster to attend and perhaps start our own official missions in order to help our fair nation and those that the Intercontinental Magic Advancement Company works and serves in. I'd also like to hear your opinion exactly what your thoughts are on delegating such matters in terms of labeling what missions are more necessary or vital to our Guild and what should be the first priorities and the others secondary. Needless to say, I'd appreciate if we all met in person so that we could get to know each other as both comrades and colleagues." "That might be the case, Master, however..." Kenneth was about to say, as he looked at Thornton in the corner who also appeared to want to ask the same question as he did. "Where exactly is this estate of yours?" Kenneth asked, almost deadpan given the...appropriateness of the question at the time. On the other end, Thornton was still slightly nervous, especially since he was standing in his lab with his safety goggles on and looking absolutely ridiculous. "Uh, Master...I also have the same question as Mr. Kenneth." He stuttered, feeling rather intimidated in front of all these influential and powerful figures. Morgan didn’t know how to react when the two holographic magi revealed they didn’t know where the guild headquarters were located. She hadn’t expected anyone could have made such a drastic oversight, even if the guild itself had never met in full before. The fact anyone, most of all Victor, never thought of it before that moment was almost comical to her. She suppressed a chuckle before the proverbial lightbulb went off in her head. Reaching out a little, she tapped Victor’s shoulder to get his attention “We could always just pick them up, couldn’t we? I think it’d be much simpler than having to wait for them.” she suggested. "Thank you, dear Morgan, you've read my mind!" Victor said with an enthusiastic tone, making sure pat her on the shoulder a few times and smile at her sincerely to ensure she was being complimented. The last thing he wanted to do was shun the ideas of the youthful, especially one who's been apparently repressed. But after taking only a few seconds to tend to the matter, he looked forward with a enigmatic confidence. "Seeing that you are most likely a great distance away, as I had considered ahead of time, I thought before we left to take our Skyhawk to round up all current members of the Phoenix Guild. Unfortunately, this not only could take longer than you'd like to wait and decline the amount of fuel within this particular vessel, I think it could be a very wasted effort. Therefore, we won't change course...and neither will you," The Guild Master said with a twinkle in his eyes. In the background of both Kenneth and Thornton's area of residence, a sound close to thunder could be heard as two identical appearing vessels lowered themselves over suitable areas of hovering altitude. Ramps lowered mechanically, awaiting them with crimson carpeted retractable stairs leading up into the inner workings of the vessels. With none but the to-be passengers within, they'd look completely empty on the inside. "During a train ride I was having earlier, I made special commands through my ring's NST system. From there I sent a few of the company's Skyhawks flying over towards your current areas. They homed in on your rings, marking their destinations even as you moved on your own. Let me know when you've arrived in your particular Skyhawk before I command Nest ''to take you back," Victor explained calmly, arms now crossed over his cloaked chest, all the while smiling with a satisfied grin on his face. "As expected of the famous Victor Alexander." Kenneth smugly said, "You'll have to give me a moment, though. I'm...not exactly in my best gear." Kenneth placed his finger on the ring, deactivating it momentarily as he went to change his clothes, not willing to expose himself to others. In only took a short period of time, however, Kenneth returned with a dark purple shirt, black tie, black belt, dress pants and dress shoes, along with a black blazer held in his hands. "I'll be heading out now." Kenneth stated to his guildmates, as he stood on the Skyhawk that Victor described in such detail. "Alright, done!" Thornton said happily as his lab appeared to be spic and span while Kenneth had been changing clothes. "I'll be heading off too, Master!" Thornton stated enthusiastically, standing on his own Skyhawk as well. "Whenever you're ready." The two said, surprisingly in sync, as they awaited for lift-off. Nodding to the two of them, Victor stepped forward and placed his ring back into the table. Speaking in an authoritative tone, he commanded in a calm tone, "''Nest, please escort both Serah Kenneth and Serah Thornton to the Alexander Estate. Gently, if you can." "'''Understood, Master Victor," Rang out the voice not only within their Skyhawk but the ones containing both Phoenix Mages. In a matter of seconds, the engines within the two vessels revved up, jettisoning the air below into a brilliant gust of azure colored wind. Reaching up to a suitable altitude, the two rocketed off into the horizon, only needing a moment to adjust stability so that the passengers within would only feel a minor jolt before relaxing in the motion dampened interior. "Thank you, Nest," Victor said in a hospitable tone, retracting his ring from the table to witness the reactions of his new Wizard colleagues, "how is it to ride inside of a Skyhawk, gentlemen?" "Definitely comfortable!" Thornton said, as he said in an almost childlike manner on the seats provided. "What sort of flight mechanisms does the flight use, Master?" Thornton inquired, gasping in the sheer luxuries the aircraft possessed. "Seems to be magical." Kenneth discerned, lazing about in the craft while he sat on a leather seat with his legs up, eyes closed and barely paying attention to his surroundings. When Morgan saw Victor’s hand move closer to her, she instinctively cringed. She wondered if she had said something wrong, or worse, spoken out of turn. When she felt a reassuring pat rather than the stiff hand of rebuke, her body relaxed. Hearing that Victor at least valued her input made her feel like she mattered, something she never felt before. She could feel the sting of tears welling up in her eyes again, not from sadness, but from joy. Wiping away the tears in her eyes, she had to fight back a smile. “Had I known you had more of these things, I would have suggested that.” she replied. "I come up with these types of plans before they're voiced to me. Sorry if I failed to make it known, but I have a bad habit of leaving some people in the dark," Victor explained to Morgan, looking over to wink at her before returning his gaze at the projections in front of him, "then again, where's the fun in telling you the surprise?" "Not everyone finds it amusing, Master," Diana said stoically. "I'm sorry my sense of humor doesn't reach you, my dear Diana," Victor commented back with a grin, idly rubbing the beard on his chin. Looking over at Thornton, he remembered him asking a question that he had carelessly overlooked. Rubbing his hand on the ring in front of him, he decided to explain, "it's part of my environment friendly fueled projects. Taking in the energy of the wind and Sun, it minimizes fuel expense of the Lacrima engines I have installed into every Skyhawk. More use of the Lacrima is spent on combat and defense, leaving most of the flight and travel to natural resources from using the aero-solar plating I've had installed into the wings and hull of the ship." "Ah right, no wonder I don't feel much magical strain from the ship." Thornton said, as he sunk into the comfort of his flight. "Complications I don't really need to understand, it seems." Kenneth shrugged, taking out a beverage from the nearby fridge. "Are we nearly there, by the way?" "Give it a couple hours. We should all arrive within the same time, give or take a half hour or so," Victor said with a sigh, looking at his ring thoughtfully before realigning his gaze at the two. After a few more moments of silence, he looked over at Diana and smiled softly. Turning on his heels, he waved towards her and Morgan with equal authority, "if you'd be so kind as to escort young Morgan to her quarters, I can imagine she's quite tired from such a long ordeal. Take what time you'd like to recouperate as well. I'll stay here and keep an eye on things." "Understood, Master Victor," Diana clicked her heels with understanding, bowing halfway before turning to face Morgan with a slight smile. Placing an arm around her chest, she halfway bowed to her before waving off to the port side of the ship. "Shall we, Miss Morgan?" Diana asked with politeness, awaiting her confirmation before escorting her to the place they'd take a few hours of rest. Morgan nodded, a sudden wave of exhaustion washing over her. Even with barely using her magic energy, she felt tired and drained. A good rest before eventually meeting the other members of her new extended “family”, to use the word she imagined Victor would have, was perhaps just what she needed to recover, and she could sort out her own thoughts in the process. "Follow me," Diana said softly, allowing herself to smile at the young Dragon Slayer before treading down the hall with her newest surrogate sister in tow. It only took a handful less than a minute for the pair to reach the room, an open observatory with no visible sign of furnishings other than the window. If one was to look out, they'd see the azure glow of Eternano particles gently flowing the in the wake of their vessel's cruising cardinal direction. Below was the wide world while up above was the high blue heavens, a true marvel to the eyes. More concerned about Morgan's bedrest than her ability to sightsee, Diana strutted straight to the far wall to the right from the entrance. Placing her palm upon a smoother, duller colored panel on the wall, a brief light caressed her palm. A brief chime was sounded before the wall unfolded, revealing a hide-a-bed with crimson quilts over a plush conforming material. If one was to touch, it'd be so soft as to describe it like marshmallows, able to smother someone comfortably as if one was resting on fantasy clouds. "There's a small fridge holding beverages and snacks, along with an auditory system in case you'd like to hear some music," Diana pointed out to the small fridge door in the inner recess of the wall, opening it to reveal a plethora of drinks and plastic-wrapped snacks. Closing it once Morgan had a good look, she pressed her palm over what looked like a number of ruby-encrusted knobs with a small display screen shining of emerald glass. Retracting her hand, she turned around to see if Morgan had absorbed the information she gave to her, "any questions?" The young Slayer shook her head. "Not right now, I just want to sleep, just for a bit." she said as she walked over to the revealed bed, her voice muffled as she stiffled a yawn. For perhaps the first time, she could enjoy even a single hour of straight sleep, and she intenteded to enjoy the momentary bliss that rest could bring. She kicked her boots off and pulled back the covers, climbing onto the bed moments later. She curled into as tight a ball as she could, pulling the blankets over herself, as if building for herself a fort to keep monsters at bay. Diana looked on at the curled up form of Morgan. She looked more vulnerable than she had been when she attacked the train only an hour ago. The Virago Spirit wondered if she was anything like her Master's daughter, since they both looked considerably similar in age. Yet their backgrounds were separated by an ocean of conflict, aggression and grief. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like for her to feel this secure for the first time in most likely a long while. Casting a small smile, Diana turned on her heels, whispering in a quiet voice, "Sleep well, Morgan." Exiting the observatory bedroom, she quickly made her way back to her Master's side. The Thought Projections of the two other prospective Phoenix Mages were long since dispersed, allowing Victor to look on at a number of entries in floating scrolled images. With a hand resting on his cane and the other stroking his chin, he barely batted an eye when his most faithful subordinate came to stop at his left side. "I've escorted young Mistress Morgan to her quarters. She immediately fell fast asleep," Diana reported in a neutral monotone. "She must be exhausted," Victor nodded with a soft sigh escaping his lips. Releasing his hold on his chin, he reached into his pocket to retrieve an old fashioned pocket watch, popping it open to check the time. When he noticed the hour was growing later in the day, he stashed it away once more, giving out an order casually, "when we touch down, I'll go speak with the other Mages as they arrive. Let her sleep for six to eight hours. I want her to be in a well rested state before I wish to discuss her future with her in person." "Understood, Master Victor," Diana acknowledged with a curt nod. Expanding text within scroll appearing images, Victor looked at the various contracts set up by various individuals, parties and companies. Pursing his lips, he looked up with agitation as he continued to look through the various submissions sent by people across Fiore and the outlying nations his company had placements in. Clicking his tongue against his teeth, he looked to Diana before gesturing with his head at the number of images hovering above the table. "Quite the selection of jobs, wouldn't you say?" Victor asked his faithful servant. "It's more than a Guild our size can handle," Diana said candidly, placing her hands behind her back, squeezing her left wrist with her right hand as she adopted a more crisp posture. Her eyes scanned the various jobs as she spoke, giving her honest opinion, "we have good Mages and quite a selection of Virago Spirits to supplement, but we'll need a much larger volume of fellow Wizards in order to fulfill even a quarter of this quota. It'll be quite some time before we can officially compete with the other Official Guilds in any of these countries." "Our goal may lie in the horizon, but our steps towards it have been large ones," Victor responded confidently, his smile stretching across his face as his face turned to look towards her. "we have strong, recognizable freelance Magi joining our organization. I don't think us happening upon a Shadow Dragon Slayer is coincidence either. It won't be long until the Phoenix Guild becomes commonplace among the world's citizenry." "As grand as those goals are, Master," Diana began to say, her tone remaining dubious as her right brow arched when her eyes met his, "have you even considered where you'd house this preconceivingly growing organization?" "Have a little faith, Diana," Victor finished with a chuckle as he returned his gaze at the many articles of job info cycled around in front of his sight, "I always have a plan. Just wait and you'll see how this will all unfold." Our Future Is Yours Morgan began to rouse herself from her slumber, mumbling incoherent words. After a few seconds, she was able to muster the will to toss the blankets aside and sit up. Slowly, she moved herself so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. As she slid her boots on, she questioned exactly how long she had been asleep. She felt better after her slumber, but that didn’t prevent her from questioning the hour of the day. As she glanced around, she noticed Victor’s right hand woman, Diana, standing over in the corner, dressed in an all black suit, eyes shut. After making sure her boots were laced and tied properly, she walked over to the silent woman. She wondered both how long she had been standing there and if she had somehow fallen asleep standing upright. "Glad to see you're awake," Diana breathed out with a slight smile, eyes slowly opening to dart over at Morgan's. Pushing off the wall, she looked down at the girl and noticed the razzled head of hair she possessed after snuggling into the quilts. Aside from her choice of wardrobe, she really did appear to be a young girl at heart. Nodding over her shoulder, the Virago Spirit inquired, "Ready to get moving, Mistress Morgan?" Morgan nodded. “Let’s go.” she said, instinctively checking to make sure she had everything, only to realize her sword was still on the train, right where she dropped it more than likely. She scowled as the truth dawned on her. Without her sword, she felt defenseless, and never before had she gone long without the weapon by her side. It unnerved her greatly, but she wouldn’t show it beyond a sour expression. She trusted Victor’s words, that he would keep her safe, and in turn, she felt she could trust the people he did. “Where are we, exactly?” she asked, curiosity getting the better of her. "You're in the hangar of Master Victor's estate," Diana responded smoothly, keeping a crisp walk as they navigated through the airship's debriefing room towards the staircase. Already detached, awaiting for descent, she walked slowly down to allow Morgan time to acclimate her surroundings as they exited the craft. Reaching the last step, she briefly looked over her shoulder at her before nodding to the outside, "if you're curious as to where that is, well, we're in a mansion built into the side of a mountain in Fiore. It's quite isolated when all things are said and done, but it's quite beautiful here." Sure enough, if one was to look around the hangar, it contained a number of landed airships built similarly to the one that they flew in. Totalling up to nearly two dozen, with a vast array of smaller and exotically designed aircraft, they all were landed in neat outlined areas of yellow paint upon spotless aluminum tiled flooring. Overhead lighting was provided by a number of luminescent bulbs, shining a blue light throughout the upper corners to ceiling of the hangar. Pointed on the outside was the view of a emerald valley, resting far below the rolling stones that made up the mountain and the man-made road that led up to the other side as an alternative source of access to the estate. It was breathtaking to see the Sun setting in the distance, casting a sheen of violet-golden light through the horizon towards the mountain. As Morgan exited the aircraft glanced around the hanger. She tried to estimate the number of ships similar to the one she just slumbered in, hazarding a guess of approximately twenty, along with a number of different craft whose function she didn’t know. “Isolation from everything suits me just fine. I don’t quite care for masses of people anyway.” she replied shortly, a bitter note in her voice. Walking outside, she had to shield her eyes from the glare of the setting sun. Adjusting quickly to the light, she saw the landscape and couldn’t believe how beautiful and peaceful it was. It seemed so strange compared to the dark forests of Fiore she had grown accustomed to hiding in during her time in the country. So, this is home...I can get used to this. she thought, enjoying the view. "It is beautiful, isn't it?" Diana asked as she stood beside the young Dragon Slayer. Her eyes sparkled with the glimmering horizon that subtly dwindled into darkness. Her smile was genuine in the appreciation as the violet-golden rays made her cream complexion glisten brightly. Despite staring into the glare, her eyes didn't seem affected in the slightest, as they continued to stare onwards, "Master Victor loves this country so much that he'd do anything to keep the beauty in the world everywhere. I, who have been compelled to obey him since my creation to serve those who purchase me, find it admirable in him to possess so much charisma and compassion to the world. Perhaps someday, you can look into the horizon as I do, Mistress Morgan." “Maybe someday.” Morgan replied, casting her eyes downward. “And it’s only because Victor’s giving me a chance.” As she spoke, her hands balled into fists as she remembered how even after giving him a reason to hate her, to hurt her like everyone else, Victor had instead elected to help her, to save her. Had she gone after any other person, would she still be alive? Would events have turned out the same? She unclenched her hands as she decided not to think about such things. The past is the past, and cannot be changed, she told herself. “Compassion...even for someone who did so much damage to his company in a matter of weeks. He’s different from anyone I’ve met since I left Sin. And I don’t know why, but I’m glad he is.” "Victor is a rare kind of man," Diana agreed with a nod, taking note of what Morgan say about her coming from Sin. To what she knew of, it was a poor country inhabiting a number of fishing villages along the coast away from the western mountains. The Company, as far as she knew of, had yet to make contact with the smaller water-locked peninsula. They were expanded throughout Ishgar and were working on acquiring the rights to distribute within the Pergrande Kingdomn, the only country that bordered naturally with Sin that didn't have a sea dividing the two. If she came from there, it'd explain how traveling such a distance for someone so young might have been treacherous and potentially traumatizing, but it still didn't explain why someone from Sin possessed Dragon Slaying Magic. So many questions had yet to be answered about this young girl but Diana wasn't in any hurry. With luck and effort, they'd spend plenty of time together as the days grew into months. That she hoped would come to pass as she didn't seem like a bad young woman. Just hurt and confused, poissibly lonely. Reaching out, Diana tenderly gripped Morgan's shoulder, nodding over her shoulder to the hangar's exit, "C'mon. Let's go meet him. I'm sure he'll have something related to supper ready for you to eat since you slept through dinner." As the former thief heard a mention of food, she realized how long it had been since she ate a decent meal rather than just what she could steal or kill for herself. The mere thought of something more than a few scraps of rabbit or a small bird and slightly rotten vegetables, was tantalizing to the point of madness. Not to mention that the little fight from earlier had taken more out of her than what she had eaten that morning. “That sounds like a good idea.” she said weakly, her hunger finally catching up to her. The Tainted Past Taking the lead Diana escorted the young Dragon Slayer out of the hangar into a corridor layered with stone. Lit by Lacrima lamps along the bare walls it eventually swerved around to a pair of red-oak doors with brass handles in the shape of angels. Grasping both handles she opened them forth and continued to lead, occasionally looking behind herself to check on Morgan's pace. Smiling she nodded to follow her around the vast lobby that presided with much unused furniture, tiled flooring with a rug near a fireplace and a overhead chandilier of glittering crystal. Turning about they passed by a spiral staircase that passed through several bridges suspended in the air that allowed quick travel across the immensely proportioned castle. Vague sounds of construction was heard at the top floor, where the sight of more infrastructure was being built, accompanied by men in orange and white clothing walking high above their heads. Moving out of the lounge and into what looked like a dining hall, one could see an exit to a beautiful marble terrace that was home to a pond filled with koi fish and bamboo garden affinities. Sitting at the head of a long stained wooden table, Victor sat, reading what looked like a book with a thick red binding. Upon hearing the footsteps of the two women coming towards him, he placed bookmark at where he was made of manilla paper and closed it. Placing it underarm, he pushed out from the table and turned around with cane in his book toting hand, using the other to gesture to Morgan. "I see you've finally awoken," Victor said matter-of-factly with a calm smile, "I take it by the look on your face that you're quite ravenous? I'll make sure to have the chef cook something for you. Diana?" "Of course, Master Victor," Diana bowed with an arm wrapped around her middle and another remaining at her side. Rising up, she turned to cast a friendly smile of parting to Morgan before walking a few meters away till she disappeared with a flicker of rapid movement. The sigh of her master could be heard at her expeditiousness but didn't deter him from motioning her to the tall back chair he was previously cushioned onto. "While we wait for food, why don't you and I have a talk? I'm sure you know that I have a few questions I'd like to ask of you just as you may have questions of your own for me," He guessed with both hands pulling back the seat just enough to be comfortable for her to seat and allow him to push her level with the immaculately clean table. Morgan looked around as they entered the castle. It stunned her to see how amazing everything looked. Never before had she seen anything even remotely close to the high level of class the lobby had. As they walked, she could hear the unmistakable bang of hammers pounding away and other sounds of construction. As to what, she couldn’t tell. When offered, the black-garbed girl walked over the chair and sat down. The chair was impressively comfortable, as she had expected. As Victor pushed her nearer to the table, she turned to look him in the eyes. “I’ll answer anything you ask, if you do so in return. So long as you are honest with me, I will be honest with you.” she stated dryly. “In fact, I’ve got a question for you right now. Why? You all but forgave me for destroying trains, injuring men who worked for you and plotting to pilfer as many lacrima that seemed useful as I could. Why would you? What’s your goal with me?” she asked, not once changing tone, as if each of her actions were of equal weight to the others. "That seems like a fair question, if not quite a few questions attached to the bigger one," He answered as he turned about to take his own seat. Grasping the top of the chair nearest to her, he pulled it out from him before seating himself once again. Taking the book out from under his arm he set it back on the table while leaning the cane next to his seated right thigh. Staring at her more seriously, his smile became thin lipped then became a impassive expression. Eyes staring at hers, he leaned forward and clasped his hands together, forming a bridge underneath his eyes crossing over his nose's bridge. "For a number of reasons, Miss Morgan," He began, his eyes twinkling with hidden intent while her pensive face reflected in his own hazel orbs, "you, for starters, are the first Dragon Slayer to emergy in over three centuries. If you recall, the Dragon Slayers along with the reanimated Dragons' spirits imbued inside of them, used their combined Magic to shield the earth and cause a rebound effect to all FACES across the world. In the process, they perished and their souls left their husks like fumes from a dying engine. It is...no accident that you have come to Fiore, hundreds of kilometers away from your own homeland, Sin." Withdrawing his hands from his mouth, he had them resting on the tabletop, fingers tapping methodically from one flank back to the other direction, "In the time you were asleep I was curious if you had kin looking for you. So, using the resources I have within the company I looked for anyone mentioned in the database that could have been a customer or lived in a province I do business or trade in. I couldn't, so I asked around for a few favors to collaborate with me on uncovering your origin. A particular Wizard Saint claimed he saw you years ago, in a village close to the mountains of Sin. There was rumors that you had disappeared from your own home and haven't been seen until, well, now." Narrowing his eyes a twinge, he finished out loud plainly, "You are the Darkness Dragon Slayer. The fact that you emerged before any other means one of two things. One, you were born with this innate power not knowing from whom or where it came from. The second more likely happening was that you were taught or given this power for it is almost impossible to create a Dragon Slayer unless you have an artificial core crafted and imbued into you. But, even Artificial Dragon Slayers haven't existed since the aversion to the apocalypse as they too participated in the act of sacrifice. I will only ask once, and if you choose to not answer me, I will respect why and you will have the choice to tell me at a later time." Morgan stiffened as Victor asked of her the nature of her power and where it came from, the question she expected and feared in equal measure. She tried to keep her emotions in check, but that attempt had failed. A look of heartbreak, mixed with fear and despair, crossed her face as nightmares flashed through her mind, memories of what her draconic foster father had done. “Th-the Dark Dragon King, Jadow. He’s the monster who gave me this power. I don’t...I don’t know why. I don’t...” She trailed off as the sorrow took hold of her and sobs wracked her body. She felt as if a weight pressed against her chest and her heart sank just thinking of her past with the dark dragon. She looked at Victor, eyes brimming with tears, obviously moments away from breaking. “I’ll kill him. I want to kill him. But I’m not strong enough. Nobody is..he’s too powerful.” As much as it hurt to admit, she knew it was true. Small armies were like single combat to such a massive creature. What hope did a lone girl have in the same situation? “He was there,” Morgan began, changing the subject slightly, “Your friend, the Wizard Saint, he was there the night I first ran away. I didn’t know it at first, not until I made it out of Sin, at least, that he was a Saint. I saw him in the papers a few times. If I had known, maybe he would’ve helped me escape. I wouldn’t have had to live alone for so long. I thought he was working with Jadow, so I kept running. It wasn’t until it was too late I figured out where I was wrong.” It took only a few moments for Victor, throughout the beginning of Morgan's explanation for him to recompose himself. He had once delved deeply into the lore, mythology and aged texts relating to the Age of Dragons. Back when there wasn't such a thing as Dragon Slayers, at least yet, and that they were the Apex Species that roamed the world. Each beast was singlehandedly capable of clashing with the mightiest of Demons or Gods, being night immune to harm to only but the strongest of conventional or magical weaponry. Not until the emersion of such legends such as the Black Dragon of Apocalypse, the Death Dragon Slayer Acnologia, that any Dragon could be obliterated in confrontation. But of all the names that was barely uttered one stood chiefly above them all. The Dragon King of Darkness, Jadow the Ragnarok Beast. He was the only one of their kind to have battled ancient sorcerors of old, made the elusively immortal Zeref wary and did one on one combat with the first Dragon Slayer, Acnologia. They fought over the ocean, the land, the sky and the bottomless pits of the earth. While it was nearly ten years before Acnologia was seen again, Jadow had disappeared seemingly into his death and from all mentions of history. Hearing his name mentioned by a frightened girl, a young woman who possessed his power as a Slayer, brought chills to his spine and froze his blood. He cleverly used a hand to stroke his chiseled, bearded face while keeping it concealed so Morgan wouldn't see how much of the color and warmth was drained from it during her explanation. There was so much he had to find out, so many questions needing answered he didn't know where to start. But for now, the girl's personal life took precedence and he prioritized himself accordingly. After only a quarter a minute of silence as she finished her story's end, he lowered his hand, feeling that he returned back to his old self minus the swirling maelstrom of thoughts coursing through his mind. Leaning forward on the table, he placed a hand onto her shoulder, squeezing it tenderly as his eyes met hers compassionately, "I'm sure if Godfried had met you there would have been little he could have done. He isn't what you call a sociable person but he doesn't lack empathy. It is good you found your way to me; Sin isn't the place for someone of your particular backstory to reside in." Leaning back, he caught a whiff from the kitchen down the hall from the immeasurably long table stacked within the terrace viewed dining room. Smiling he could tell that Morgan would be ravishing for a decent meal and he planned she get much more than that. Turning his head to her he asked her now, "Do you have anyone you know back home? Friends? Family? I understand if you don't wish to talk about them." Morgan's sensitive nose picked up on the food being cooked not far from the dining room. Although she couldn't exactly specify what was being made, the scents made her all the hungrier regardless. She choked back tears as she recalled the person who gave her what became her most prized possessions. Her coat and her blade. He also gave her time to run, the young man who had named bestowed upon her a name when she had none. The man she had always called her brother. “Roland...” she whispered as hope seemed to seep into her mind, only for fear to bring her back down. “One of the villagers, Roland, he’s my brother. We planned to run away together, but he stayed behind to stall for time. He told me to keep running, that he’d find me when he got away. I never saw him again.” "I see," Victor sighed sadly, internally catalouging the name for researching at another time. Folding his hands together onto the table, he quietly murmured out, "I am...sorry for your loss. From the way you speak of him, you have a certainty he passed on." Trying to think of a way to change the subject, he was relieved to see Diana on the way with two plates of food. Hilariously she was dressed in what looked like a professional waiter's black over white, suit-&-tie uniform. While it was more fit for men it looked rather fetching on her regardless. He always remarked how easily she fit the role of a man or woman, to which she took in stride as a matter of pride being capable in so many fields. Had she been a lesser woman she assuredly found that undignifying her femininity, but being a Virago Spirit by nature may have had something to do with that. Regardless, she strode down the expansive hall with a pair of steaming pots. Skillfully turning on her heel, shet a less heavy portion in front of Victor and a much more sizable portion in front of Morgan. "One of your favorites, seeing as you didn't specify what you'd prefer tonight," Diana sang out, uncovering the platter before Victor. It revealed a small portion of meatloaf, surrounded by a circlet of vegetables. From a top-down perspective, it looked like a planet with a debris ring circling it. "Planet Meat, with Veggie Asteroids on the side." "Poor Planet Plant," Victor snickered at the choice of platter names. He'd have to thank his children for coming up with the names for some of their chosen meals in the household. Setting down the heavy platter before Morgan, she uncovered it she revealed what looked like a eloquently cooked pile of steak, ham, turkey and chicken. Each of the meats selected had special seasoning to accent and enhance the flavor of each three to five slices of protein. Within the center was buttered peas, giving the impression the meat imprisoning the veggies. Placing both cookware underarm, Diana presented the food with a flaunting gesture to Morgan, "I didn't know what kind of meat you favored so I had the chef cook a number of types with a healthy addition of cooked peas with butter on top. I hope its to your liking, Miss Morgan." Morgan looked at the veritable mountain of food in front of her. The scents of the various sources of protein made her mouth water. Without another word, she dug into the massive amount of food, savoring the well-seasoned cuts of meat. Her razor sharp canines sank into the tender chunks of meat, shredding the perfectly cooked flesh. Even the peas, which if she had her way wouldn’t have been there, were fair game. She was too hungry to be picky, and so she quietly and yet reluctantly shoveled the small, green, dreadfully tasting spheres. into her mouth. The only solace for her was that they were coated in butter. "Glad to see the chef hasn't lost his touch," Victor murmured with approval, taking the time to take a fork bite out of his own dish. Chewing thoughtfully he winked at Morgan before nodding to Diana. Getting the cue, she disapppeared with a rapid blur of movement back to the kitchen, readily fetching more helpings for the ravenous Dragon Slayer. To the eyes of the father of one she seemed much more energized than she let on, even more than his own daughter. After eating his own meal for some time as another dish was presented to Morgan, Diana stepped back and awaited another sign of her duty being on standby. Casting his gaze back to the girl, he couldn't help but bring up one of the things he wanted to discuss. "Morgan," Victor said rather informally, resting his silverware beside his mostly finished dish, eyeing the girl as she most likely paused in her eating. "how would you feel about becoming part of my company interested Magi Guild, the Phoenix Guild?" As a second plate of food appeared, Morgan began the process of devouring its contents as well, the only sounds being her knife and fork scraping against the plate mingled with her chewing. She ended up stopping part way through to catch her breath and let the food she rapidly shoveled in to settle. Victor’s voice suddenly and unexpectedly breaking the momentary silence caused the young aspiring dragon killer to jolt. His question stunned her. She flashed back to the moment on the train the two had shared, and how vulnerable she had felt, even in total darkness, and how much it hurt, like a stone where her heart should be, as even after all she did in the name of sanity and power attacked his reputation, the man gave her a chance. Even now, she still warred within herself over trusting his word. “You said you’d make it stop; the pain, the nightmares. You said you’d make it all stop. That wasn’t a lie, right? Or did you just say that to get me here? To get me to lower my guard?” She asked, trying to keep her composure and failing. Victor couldn't help but notice the distinct borderline breakdown Morgan was having what appeared to be a borderline breakdown. He had almost forgotten this was a fragile child, still ripe from her traumatic yield in her assault on his company trains in search of power. She most likely took what he said and misonstrued it as opportunistic, twisting what he had shared with her that was intimate as more conniving instead. Biting on his tongue while visibly looking hurt, he knew what she was insinuating was more a defensive lashing but felt a little angry at himself for bringing it up so soon. Looking over at Diana, stoically standing fast, he knew he couldn't simply dissuade her doubts with a wave of his hand. No, looking at her trembling form, she needed to be treated as an intelligent woman. He had to explain everything, even if it was hard to accept right away. But it had to be true, otherwise she could continue to distrust him no matter how kind he may appear. "I told you, Morgan, one of the reasons I decided to take you in was the importance you had as the first and only Dragon Slayer to exist in our world, didn't I?" He began, folding his hands in front of himself, pushing the plate forward to give his arms more space on the table. Diana quickly sidled around the table to recover the dishes, shuffling herself out to give them more privacy. When Victor gave enough time for his Virago Spirit to leave the two of them alone, he continued with a cool expression. "It was the initial reason I had arranged to meet you, face to face, on that train. I wanted to see what kind of person you were and why you were doing the things against my company. Had I arranged anyone else to deal with it, things could have ended very badly for you or them. If I was the only one at risk then I could take the full blame and reap the consequences of what could have turned into a very dangerous battle." Inhaling, he let that sink in before confessing openly, "But...meeting you changed my perspective of how to handle things. What I saw wasn't simply a renegade, a Dark Wizard or even a Dragon Slayer. I saw you for who you really were; a scared, wounded and tired young woman. You don't need pity as strong as you are and you also don't need opposition as you lived through enough of that for any human being. Instead, I am offering you what I am offering everyone who will join this Guild of mine. A family." Pushing up from the table he walked over to her side, making sure to move slow enough so she didn't see it as threatening. Without hesitation he placed his hand over her head, rubbing it fondly while smiling warmly down at her, "Will you allow me to be a father to you, Morgan, and hear what I have to say?" Morgan took a few deep breaths to steady herself as she listened to Victor’s explanation. At first, she tensed her body as a wave of anger coursed through her. It was hard to hear that before they met face to face, that her only worth, the reason he sought her out, was because she was a Dragon Slayer, that her only validation was from her power. However, as the explanation continued, she relaxed and the anger left. Watching carefully, she kept a close eye on Victor, looking for even the quickest of sudden movements from his person. As he ruffled her hair, she glanced up at him. “I’ll listen.” she said, sniffling a bit. Smiling, he felt his confidence renewed by her acquiescence to his request. Reaching for a chair at the end of the table he carefully shuffled it over the tiled floor to seat himself in front of the girl's left side. Leaning forward he clasped his hands in front of himself as he looked her dead in the eye, not wanting to make anything he said seem open to doubt or misinterpretation. "I have a dream for this era, Morgan," He began with a soft tone, his smile ever present as his words breached the silence filling the air, "I want to advance the world in an era of Magical Science to the point where every man, woman and child can enjoy the comforts capable of benefiting them. Poverty will be a thing of the past, betterment being a goal on every citizen's thought and the world propelling into a world of incredible discovery. My inventions, as you've seen, are but the tip of the iceberg that I want to provide to the whole world from mountainside to coast to isle." "But there are those who are willing to harm others, inhibit my company's good efforts and destroy lives of those I want to reach out to. Official Guilds can only be contracted after an incident has occurred, making them essentially a clean-up crew in the wake of many families' ruin and hardship. My Guild, the Phoenix Guild, will not only keep disasters from happening but also journey across the world in search of others who are in need. We will offer shelter, rehabilitation and nurture to those who have no one else. And, if they have Magical talent and wish for a better future, I will offer them a place in my Guild who I wish to treat as family who will love nothing but to help others." Leaning back, Victor rested his hands on his lap, retracting his smile only slightly as he looked over at the distant lobby staircase. He swore he could have seen a head of hazel colored twintails whipping about as tiny footsteps were heard under the cover of upper floored construction. Returning his gaze back to her he confessed with a softer gaze, "I have a wife and a daughter whom I both love and cherish. To make this dream of mine a reality would mean a better world for my family to flourish in. I'd understand, from your situation, that you wouldn't wish to be an active Mage in a Guild. You are still a child and I would love nothing more than to raise you as if you were my own. The choice is up to you. I will be here for you no matter the outcome. Either as your Guildmaster or Guardian I will remain at your side whatever the decision you make, Morgan." Morgan sat in her seat and let Victor’s words sink in. The depths he claimed he would go for his family, and that he wanted her as a part of that family, stirred up feelings in her that she thought long dead. A longing she couldn’t quite place, a desire she couldn’t fill on her own weighed on her heart. After a moment, she decided where she would cast her fate, not that her choice had required much thought in the first place, she knew where she wanted to be. “I’m not able to sit on the sidelines. My whole life, I had to fight to defend myself or to simply let out my emotions, and to stop...I can’t see myself not fighting, I just can’t. I’d never be able to...maybe get strong enough to rip that monster’s black heart from his filthy chest. If it’s really true that I’m the only Slayer left alive, even to this day, then it has to be me. And even if there were others, I made a promise to myself, I swore that it’d be me that does it. I won't let somebody steal that from me. He took my childhood from me, he took my innocence, my joy. I have to do it, and I can't do that if I don't become stronger...somehow." She stood up abruptly as adrenaline flowed through her, never once breaking eye contact with Victor. “You keep talking about wanting to fight for your family. And you’re willing to welcome me into that family, so I’ll fight for you. You asked if I’d let you be a father to me, and to be honest, my only experience with a father...you know...But you’ve had every chance to hurt me, to make me feel like that all over again, you never did. I think I can trust you.” Standing up, Victor was overcome with emotions that he couldn't subdue. He reached out and pulled her in for the second time in a full-on embrace. This time it wasn't simply encouraging her to lower her guard in a potentially hostile situation. This time it was reassurance he was there to support her, no matter what. He stroked the back of her head as he closed his eyes, feeling a warmth radiate his being, causing his eyes to burn and excrete a few tears down his face. His smile was forced but genuine all the same. It took a lot from him just to keep from crying. "Come now," Victor whispered as he separated, taking her by the hand and leading her away from the table to the stairway that had become peacefully, and suddenly quiet, "let me show you around your new home before you settle in." When Victor embraced her, Morgan was taken by surprise. Deep down, she could understand that unlike the previous hug, there was underlying emotion to this one, not an ulterior motive. She could feel the strain Victor was going through to keep himself from breaking on an emotional level, the same strain she knew all too well. The instant that the embrace ended, the dak-garbed girl looked at the older man and could see the emotion that a moment ago she could only feel. After a moment, she felt him grab onto her hand and lead her to the stairs. Although she didn’t say anything, deep down, she knew that, after years of running and hiding, she finally had somewhere to call home for the first time since she left the brutal, hellish world she had known, and that thought drowned out the torturous, haunting voice that had always nagged at her, gnawed on her sanity. For once, Morgan felt a sense of peace replace her self-destructive wrath, burying it. Category:Roleplay